1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to therapeutic devices, and more particularly to a belt-mounted movement sensor system for assisting a patient with physical rehabilitation of a back injury.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art teaches various forms of monitoring systems and therapeutic devices for monitoring a patient.
Mault, U.S. publication 2003/0126593, teaches a physiological monitoring system that has a monitor module, which monitors a physiological parameter of the person, the module having a wireless transmitter such as a Bluetooth transmitter. The system further comprises an interactive television system, which receives a signal from a remote control unit, such as an IR or other wireless transmission, wherein the received signal is used to modify visual presentations on a display of the interactive television system, such as changing a channel, providing numerical data in response to presented menus, selecting from presented menus using navigation keys, and the like. The system further includes a portable computing device, adapted to receive physiological data transmitted by the monitor module and to store the physiological data in a memory, and which is further adapted to function as the remote control unit of the interactive TV, so as to transmit stored physiological data to the digital interactive television, and to provide a signal for remote control and interaction with the interactive TV.
James, U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,365, teaches a monitoring device that includes an accelerometer for monitoring a mammal. The monitoring device includes a computer reporting device that receives data about the movements of the mammal, and reports activity in response to certain predetermined conditions.
Shears et al., U.S. 2010/0204616, teaches a system for measuring and analyzing movements of a body, and for communicating information about the body movements over a network. The system gathers biometric and biomechanical data related to positions, orientations, and movements of body parts during sports activities, physical rehabilitation, and military/law enforcement activities. The system includes a controller operably connected with a plurality of sensors. The sensors are attached to the user at strategic locations of the user's body (e.g., with an adhesive) to monitor movement of the user during, for example, a golf swing.
The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.